Newsroom

Welcome to the Martha Jefferson Hospital Newsroom. As your community hospital, we place a high priority on community education. Our newsroom offers easy and timely access to health-related stories of interest to individuals, families and the
broader community.

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August 27, 2014
Martha Jefferson Hospital was recently honored with a platinum award from the American College of Cardiology for their performance when it comes to cardiology care. In this week's CBS19 Healthwise segment, Dr. Josh Fischer explains how the hard work of the cardiology team has payed off for everyone involved, especially patients.

February 19, 2014 Recently, there has been a lot of talk about Naproxen, and whether it should be taken by patients who have certain heart issues. We visited Dr. Tim Williams of cardiovascular associates to find out what he recommends.

August 5, 2013
No matter your age, gender or current health status, everyone is at risk for developing heart disease. The good news is, there are things you can do to decrease your risk, and be on the road to health. Learn more in this week's Martha Jefferson Monday segment.

August 20, 2012 In this week’s Martha Jefferson Monday segment, you wanted to learn more about stents: what they are, how they are used, and what different types are available. We spoke with Dr. Josh Fischer, a cardiologist and medical director of the cardiac catheritization lab to get our answer.To submit a question you would like to see answered, email healthquestions@nbc29.com.To read the complete story, click here.

August 6, 2012 In this week’s Martha Jefferson Monday segment, you were curious about how Martha Jefferson is able to treat patients with a heart attack. We interviewed Dr. Josh Fischer, the medical director of the cardiac catheritization lab at Martha Jefferson Hospital to get the answer.To submit a question you would like to see answered, email healthquestions@nbc29.com.To read the complete story, click here.

June 6, 2012 For patients who have a pacemaker or defibrillators implanted in their chest to help control the rate of their heart must have there devices checked in order to make sure they are in proper working order. In this week's CBS19 Healthwise segment, find out how new electronic tracking is making it easier, and quicker, than every before.To read the complete story, click here.

June 4, 2012 In this week's Martha Jefferson Monday segment, you asked the question "What is A-Fib?" Dr. John Zakaib, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Martha Jefferson Hospital provides the answer.To submit a question you would like to see answered, email healthquestions@nbc29.com

May 23, 2012 Often times a person may not feel exactly right, but not know if they should call for an ambulance, drive to the emergency department themselves, or wait to schedule an appointment with their regular physician.However, in certain cases, getting attention quickly is incredibly important.In this week's CBS19 Healthwise segment, hear from local doctors and emergency medical services providers about what to consider when making your decision.To read the complete story, click here.

December 7, 2011 Cardiologists at Martha Jefferson are now approaching the heart from a new direction - the wrist. In this week's CBS19 Healthwise segment, Dr. Josh Fischer describes radial access cardiology, the benefits to patients, and just how you can access the heart by entering the body at the wrist. To read the complete story, click here.

November 2, 2011 Martha Jefferson Hospital was recently pllaced on the Target Stroke Honor Roll for the second time by the American Heart Association. For hospitals to be on the list, they must meet high goals when it comes to taking care of patients suffering a stroke. In this week's CBS19 Healthwise segment, find out how Martha Jefferson is doing, and what the key to success is for the hospital's staff.To read the complete story, click here.

September 28, 2011 Martha Jefferson recently went live with a new program called LifeNet. Working in partnership with Albemarle County Fire Rescue, the technology allows EMS teams to transmit diagnostic quality electrocardiograms (EKGs) to the Emergency Department so that teams can prepare for the patient's arrival. The technology will allow patients to receieve treatments quicker, and likely increase their outcomes of a heart attack.CBS19's Stephanie Satchell has more in this week's CBS19 Healthwise segment.To read the complete story, click here.

February 2, 2011 For many people, the drug Coumadin is familiar. They may be taking the blood-thinner themself, or know someone who is. While some people don't mind it, others wish there was an alternative. Now, as CBS19's Stephanie Satchell shows us, there is more than one option.To read the complete story, click here.

September 1, 2010Varicose veins are not only unsightly, they can also cause problems with your health. In this week's Martha Jefferson Healthwise, CBS19 spoke with Dr. Lewis Owens about a new technology being used to make the veins disappear.

August 4, 2010 The United States Surgeon General is calling blood clots a national crisis. In this week's CBS19 Healthwise segement, Dr. Lewis Owens, vascular surgeon, and Dr. Pradeep Rajagopalan, internventional radiologist, explain why it's important for patients to educate themselves on potential side effects, including Deep Venous Thrombis (DVT). More than 600,000 people will develop DVT this year, and it can have lasting effects if not properly treated.

[caption id="attachment_200" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Martha Jefferson's Stroke Team"][/caption]June 23, 2010 Martha Jefferson Hospital is pleased to announce it has been named an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, a leading healthcare accreditation agency.The Advanced Primary Stroke Center certification recognizes Martha Jefferson Hospital's exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care and signifies the services provided at the hospital include the critical elements needed to achieve long-term success in improving stroke outcomes.The teamwork at Martha Jefferson Hospital is what allowed us to excel and achieve this great accomplishment," said Dr. Alexander Grunsfeld, Stroke Program Medical Director. "Everyone from members of the Lab, Pharmacy staff, Medical Imaging and Rehabilitation Services staff were involved and their hard work is reflective of Martha Jefferson's commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community."Stroke is the third leading cause of the death in the United States, and each year approximately 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds.

May 23, 2010May is Stroke Awareness Month. When it comes to identifying and treating a stroke, every second counts. Stroke, a type of cardiovascular disease, is the No. 3 cause of death in the United States and the No. 1 cause of adult disability. Its appearance can be sudden and its effects life threatening.But, by learning to recognize the signs of a stroke, you can help loved ones receive quicker attention and treatment and increase the chances for a healthy outcome.The 'Suddens'Stroke presents itself in many ways, but the symptoms are always with a sudden onset:

Sudden onset of weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg (especially if on one side of the body)

Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you witness any of these symptoms in yourself or someone else, make note of the time and immediately call 911. Risk factorsThe best treatment, of course, is prevention. There are a number of risk factors for stroke that we cannot change, such as family history of stroke, being older than 55, being male, being African American, having diabetes and having had a previous transient ischemic attack (TIA).However, there are a number of risk factors for stroke you can modify:

Know your blood pressure and work with your healthcare providers to lower the values if they are high.

If you have atrial fibrillation, which is irregular beating of your heart, work with your healthcare providers to have it managed.

Atrial fibrillation can cause blood to collect and clot in the main pumping chamber of your heart, and if these clots get loose, they can cause a stroke by blocking blood flow through vessels that supply blood to your brain.

Know your cholesterol numbers.

High cholesterol numbers can increase your risk for stroke, as high cholesterol can cause plaque buildup and narrowing and eventually blockage of blood vessels that supply blood to your brain. (Goal numbers for total cholesterol less than 200 and an LDL less than 100).

If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugars under control (Goal blood sugar value of less than 120, or a hemoglobin A1C less than 7.)

Ask your healthcare providers if you have circulation problems.

Fatty deposits can block arteries. Sickle cell disease, severe anemia or other untreated blood disorders can cause a stroke.Make a ChangeYou also can make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for stroke, including:

Tobacco use. One word: Stop.

Seek the assistance of your healthcare providers for ways to help you quit, for good.

Keep alcohol intake to a minimum (no more than one drink daily for women, and two drinks daily for men).